Twin Cities Streets for People

We all know that Portland, Oregon frequently sets the standard for national bicycle infrastructure....  Here is an example of a bike lane I saw during my visit last weekend—notice the green paint at the beginning of the block, adequate width, buffer zones along the edges (for both moving and parked cars), and the bike corral at the end of the block.  

New film from Streetfilms highlights Portland's Bicycle Boulevards, now called "Neighborhood Greenways." They have elements of complete streets, as well as systems of integrated onsite storm water management. These types of treatments continue to give Portland national attention as a leader in bicycle infrastructure.

From the January 2009 issue of Oregon Business:

From businesses such as Nutcase Helmets to Bike Friday, Oregon’s bike madness fuels a $150 million industry. Not to mention that there’s an organized bike ride every 27 minutes.

An overview of Portland's new cycletracks and buffered bike lanes. Very helpful for upcoming conversations about improved configurations for First Avenue in Minneapolis. Thanks to Randall for sending it our way!

Nice new video via Streetfilms

Where did we go wrong with the stimulus money? It seems that alternative transportation did not and is not getting its fair share. Here are some facts about MN over at Transportation for America. Let's keep pushing for the changes we need moving forward.

A nice summary and report from Copenhagenize's Mikael Colville-Andersen's recent visit to Portland and presentation to local officials, including Portland's Mayor Sam Adams.

A nice bonus is reading about the level of leadership that exists in Portland's City Hall to make their next round of improvements possible. Received via BikePortland and Momentum Magazine Read more >

Daniel Lerch  over at Planetizen illustrates how bolder ideas are being created because of TOD in Portland.

"The Brewery Blocks were a risk, as was the Portland Streetcar itself. At the start of that project, in the late 1990s, nobody had built a new streetcar line anywhere in the country in over 50 years, and almost all real estate growth was out in the suburbs. Local leaders (public and private) were taking a significant risk in planning an exotic transit service to a neighborhood that didn't even exist yet. Bold ideas are essential. Not only did the Streetcar and Pearl District (and by extension the Brewery Blocks) need each other to happen — a marraige of "transit-oriented development" and "development-oriented transit" — these bold ideas have spawned countless new successes. The Pearl District is home to a number of highly-regarded projects like the Ecotrust Building, the Portland Armory, and the unexpectedly kid-popular Jamison Square. A struggling neighborhood at one end of the streetcar line is bouncing back into one of Portland's most desirable, and a recent extension has spurred yet another big mixed-use neighborhood development to the south.

It's that willingness to experiment that excites me about this project. Urban wind power has been roundly critized for years as impractical: the wind flow would be too weak and turbulent, the turbines' vibrations would create structural problems, the noise would bother people living and working nearby, etc. That's all largely true for older-model wind turbines, but it may well be changing as technology advances and — just as important — as planning, design and development lessons are learned. There's only one way to know."

Full article here.

The Twin Cities may be unparalleled for our off-street trails, but using two wheels to get downtown, to restaurants, grocery stores, or other main-street destinations can be harrowing.  Buffered bike lanes are one relatively low-cost solution to offer more protection to bicyclists, and Portland is using them to make on-street cycling more friendly.  "The City wants Portlanders to be comfortable coming to downtown on a bicycle – whatever their skill level – and I want Portland to be the most bike friendly and sustainable City in the nation," said Portland Mayor Sam Adams.  Read more >